Hill, Thomas. What the Heck Were You Expecting?: A Complete Guide for the Perplexed Father. Three Rivers: Crown. Jun. 2000. c. 144p. illus. ISBN 0-609-80516-9. pap. $11.95. PSYCH
Sticking to the irreverent style of his previous book, What To Expect When Your Wife Is Expanding (Andrews McMeel, 1993), Hill presents a roadmap of a baby’s first year. His flippancy permeates every page, and his wit ranges from saucy (seven-month-olds may find reruns of The Jeffersons “somewhat predictable”) to droll (“Answering the question `Have I got everything?’ is easy; `Do you feel like a pack mule?’ If not, you’ve forgotten something”). Sprinkled throughout is genuinely useful information on real issues like giving a bath. Readers will find these and many other helpful particulars in other child-rearing manuals, such as Arlene Eisenberg’s ubiquitous What To Expect the First Year (Workman, 1996) or Jean Marzollo’s Fathers & Babies (LJ 5/15/93). If Hill’s first book was popular in your collection, by all means purchase it; however, public libraries that require something more on the serious side should consider this an optional or supplemental purchase.
This review appeared in Library Journal way back on June 1, 2000 v125 i10 p166. The galley wasn’t shredded until January 26, 2012.
